When buyers purchase goods, credit cards and debit cards are used as means for settling the sales amount in stores, without handing over cash.
In the case where a credit card is used when purchasing goods in a store, the buyer presents a credit card in which individual-identifying data (data specifying a bank account for settling the sales amount, etc.) is magnetically recorded. The sales clerk reads this magnetic data in the credit card by using a card reading device and inputs the sale amount by using a keyboard attached to the card reading device. Then, the sales clerk compares the signature given by the buyer and the signature already signed on the credit card. After performing this process, a sales amount transfer instruction or the like is carried out by computer systems including a computer of the credit card company, which is connected to the card reading device via a public telephone line, and a bank computer. In this case, the processing in the store and actual payment of the sales amount are performed on different days.
In the case where a debit card is used when purchasing goods in a store, the buyer presents a debit card in which individual-identifying data (data specifying a bank account for settling the sales amount, etc.) is magnetically recorded. The sales clerk reads this magnetic data in the debit card by using a card reading device and inputs the sale amount by using a keyboard attached to the card reading device. Then, the buyer enters his or her password data using the above-mentioned keyboard or the like. After performing these processes, sale amount confirmation and prompt payment of the sale amount are carried out by a bank computer, which is connected to the card reading device via a public telephone line.
In the case where a credit card is used, since individual-identifying data is magnetically recorded in the credit card, it is easy for a third party to find out this data. Also, sometimes the comparison of the signatures in the store is not carried out, and even if a comparison is performed, there is a possibility that comparison errors occur due to the fact that the comparisons are sometimes carried out by sales clerks who have no expertise of such comparisons. Furthermore, the security of the card reading devices is not considered to be sufficient. Therefore, buyer security cannot be sufficiently guaranteed and forgery and fraudulent use of credit cards sometimes occur, and thus there is a risk of unforeseen losses occurring.
Also in the case where a debit card is used, since individual-identifying data is magnetically recorded in the debit card, it is easy for a third party to find out this data. Moreover, when inputting the password number in the store, it is also easy for a third party to find out this password number. Furthermore, the security of the card reading device is not considered to be sufficient. Therefore, forgery and fraudulent use of debit cards sometimes occur, and, of course, there is a risk of unforeseen losses occurring. In particular, in the case where a debit card is used, since settlement of the sale amount is performed immediately, once forgery or fraudulent use takes place, it is almost impossible to prevent losses based on this from occurring.
In recent years, mobile telephone apparatuses such as portable telephones and so forth have rapidly come into widespread use. Individuals have a strong sense of ownership for these mobile telephone apparatuses. Therefore, these mobile telephone apparatuses are convenient when used to settle the sales amount. In practice, various sales amount settlement methods using mobile telephone apparatuses are being proposed.
The present invention has been made in light of such circumstances, and has as an object the provision of a mobile telephone apparatus which is suitable for sales amount settlement.